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Programming

The $6,000 Computer Desk That Lets You Lie Down While You Work 116

Posted by timothy from the my-couch-does-that-already dept.
HughPickens.com writes: We've all read about standing desks and treadmill desks but now Rachel Gillet reports at Business Insider about the Altwork Station, a workstation that allows users to sit, stand, and recline while they work on their computers. Designed to accomodate two computer screens, the manufacturer says their new product is the ultimate combination for workplace productivity. "Most experts agree that humans should change positions and move throughout the day. We believe movement throughout the day is important," says the company who targets "high intensity" computer users, which it defines as people who spend at least four hours a day in front of a computer and are required to focus on complex tasks for extended periods of time. If the $5,900 ($3,900, if you pre-order) reclining workstation is not for you, there are other options you may want to consider including the scooter desk, bicycle desk, and hamster wheel desk.
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The $6,000 Computer Desk That Lets You Lie Down While You Work More

The $6,000 Computer Desk That Lets You Lie Down While You Work

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  • I don't care for the debate but lying down working vs standing or sitting makes for almost the least physical movement possible, this is how they used to study the effects of microgravity on earth - subject the patient to a bed for a month... not much difference between those studies and this.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward

      I actually work like this all the time. I have damage to my lymph system from an infection that makes my legs swell if they are hanging downward all day long. A desk like this would be awesome! I've often thought about trying to build one, but I'm not much of a handyman. I use a recliner chair instead, working with a laptop, but I really wish I weren't stuck using a laptop and that's where the chair in TFA would be great. Reclining while you work is also much nicer for your back: I used to have back pains a

      • I actually work like this all the time.

        My wife does too. She has a back injury, and cannot work while sitting. She uses this arm [amazon.com], inverted to hang a 27" monitor from a rack above her bed. It costs way, way, less than $6000.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by KGIII ( 973947 )

        I've a large night stand that has a monitor on it. I simply put the keyboard on the bed and use a wireless optical mouse. It works well for when I've gone to bed already and still feel like poking buttons. I can't stay in that position for long though, it makes me sore. I don't have any major injuries, I'm just old. It's nice for a while but I don't think I'd want to do that for extended periods of time. I just don't have my stand up against the wall. When I sleep, I move the keyboard and mouse back onto th

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by zlives ( 2009072 )

      i don;t think the lying down is supposed to be the default position, also if you can pay 6K for a desk then you are probably not a worker bee anyway.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      not much difference between those studies and this.

      Considering a big part of some issues come from being in the same position for a long time, there is a pretty big difference even between spending a month in a lying position vs. lying down for a full work day with regular drink & bathroom breaks. And if you are using this chair to lie down all day, then you're using it wrong and wasted a lot of money.

  • So are we at Wall-E levels of inactivity yet? (Score:5, Funny)

    by LaurenCates ( 3410445 ) on Thursday November 05, 2015 @12:55PM (#50871293)

    I mean, seriously, first, we lay down, then we stay there, then we let the nice AI take care of everything...

  • What a time to be alive. I've often dreamt of playing raiding in EQ without ever leaving the bed.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by unrtst ( 777550 )

      Did anyone RTFA (or watch the clip showing the "desk/chair" in it)?
      Did they just glue the mouse down? How's it attached?

      • Did anyone RTFA (or watch the clip showing the "desk/chair" in it)? Did they just glue the mouse down? How's it attached?

        Magnets. You know those little things that are pretty darn disruptive to electronics? Yeah, those.
        I can't imagine how large of a magnet they are going to need to hold the plastic mouse to the desk while upside down, to say nothing of a 30 pound plastic LCD screen.
        Oh, wait, they are probably going to sell you special metal mice, keyboards, monitors and laptops for use with the chair also.

  • $6000? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MagickalMyst ( 1003128 ) on Thursday November 05, 2015 @01:01PM (#50871335)
    A $6000 desk? Does it do your work for you?

    Seriously, I can get a super comfy reclining chair, desk, projector and wireless keyboard/mouse for a fraction of that. Oh, any maybe a new PC too. Or even Google Glass.

    ... and still have beer money left over!

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by zlives ( 2009072 )

      you clearly don't live in SF :) i think that's the cost of a starbucks coffee

    • Expensive? I spent perhaps $3000 on a desk and chair for my home office. I got good stuff since I spend plenty of time in there. But if twice that amount would get me a serious increase in comfort I would not hesitate to spend it.

    • I need comfy arm rests and a split keyboard so I can have my arms supported and relaxed at my sides to complete my vision of a relaxing prone computing experience. I prefer to use a mouse with a trackball, so it would work just fine glued down.

      http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/s... [kadavy.net]

    • My current office chair reclines all the back to almost horizontal. I fail to see the need for spending $6000.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by swb ( 14022 )

      Someone should really sell this as a kit (working out some of the issues like the Kee Klamps not being meant for structure), it's applicable to just about any recliner.

  • How is this different from a dentist chair [net32.com]?

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      You usually don't have a curved 42" monitor crashing on your head at the dentist.

  • A possible benefit of the reclining desk? Plenty of research promotes the usefulness of an afternoon nap.

    Yeah, and the morning nap, and the mid morning nap, and the noon nap, and the afternoon nap.

    Right, it's going to make you more productive AND help with naps.

    We believe you.

    I'd be interested in a desk which could quickly switch from sitting to standing. But the reclining desk? That sounds like a terrible idea.

  • You can't put papers on it, organize files in drawers, store pencils, paperclips etc. in it. So it is not as versatile as a real desk. As such, they should probably price it below a traditional desk. I would suggest a price point of perhaps $50.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by tomxor ( 2379126 )
      i'm not sure how his mouse was staying on there but i'm sure a big dose of bluetack would solve your concerns :P

    • So, I want the one which can pivot around like I'm shooting at tie fighters.

      I'll just sit there in my desk panning around going "pew pew", and after an exhausting morning of that, I'll take my afternoon nap.

      I won't be needing papers or files or paperclips in that scenario.

  • It really looks like a dentists chair. I dread work enough I don't need flashbacks of drilled teeth to haunt my day.

  • That chair is amateur hour... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05, 2015 @01:19PM (#50871481)

    Check out these guys... http://www.ergoquest.com/zero-gravity-workstations.html

    I'll take the Zero Gravity Workstation 10 please.

  • don't need $6000 (Score:5, Interesting)

    by NostalgiaForInfinity ( 4001831 ) on Thursday November 05, 2015 @01:22PM (#50871513)

    There are plenty of flexible and adjustable screen holders and keyboard holders that let you work in any position you like, for the simple reason that there are plenty of people with disabilities or who are bed ridden.

    The cheapest alternative, however, is probably prism eye glasses, for less than $10. Search for "bed prism glasses" on Google.

  • But it looks freakin' awesome!

    I could imagine raiding with one of these... Cheeto dust covering my chest... It just needs a beer holder...

  • Let's see, at home: desk of plywood, which I really need to clean and stain, cut from 4'x8'; hutch from 1"x12"s, feet on desk, keyboard in lap, at least 2'-3' away from my monitor. *

    I need to pay $6k for something custom to replace this?

    mark

    * I had a class in ergonomics, once, and this is ergonomic: wrists are fully supported by my lap, and you want the distance to the monitor: it still cycles at about 60cps, and if you're a foot or so from your screen, then 50% or 60% of the li

  • I will take george costanza's desk for less

  • They show the desk recline and the mouse stays attached to the mouse pad. It's either:
    A. mouse glued down: useless
    B. magnetic pad with enough friction to hold a mouse still (too much friction)
    C. magic (aka lies)

    Either way this doesn't seem useful. I wouldn't get one even if it was 1/50th of the cost. There are suckers out there who are willing to give it a try, that's why there are companies out there that make this junk and this is why God invented the "junk closet" - because that's where this contrap

    • They said everything attached by magnets so I think it is B. But when is the last time you saw a metal mouse (at least if you aren't an Apple fanboy)? Probably paranoid but who wants a magnet that close to their computer/external drive and whatever gadgets you might chose to plugin?

      For those that have offices a shelf with a spare pair of monitors and a KVM is a decent standing desk. A product manager at my office has that setup, has the bonus of when she gets antsy and sick sitting with the same view she ca

  • At first I misread the headline as "...Let's You Lie While You Work".

    I was thinking their first customers will be politicians and car makers.

  • This isn't really a new concept. Just has an expensive Areon-ish shell. https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com]

  • seriously, get a standing desk (Score:3)

    by Ionized ( 170001 ) on Thursday November 05, 2015 @04:30PM (#50872893) Journal

    buy a $40 ikea coffee table, put it on top of your desk, use it as your keyboard & mouse stand.
    buy a $50 tall monitor mount from amazon that clamps to the back of your desk and raises your monitor or laptop to eye height.
    buy a $30 hog heaven foam floor mat to stand on

    play music and shuffle & move around as you work. i used to have constant lower back problems from sitting all day, but ever since i've switched, my back has been great. it's also been great for my overall health. do it for yourself.

    the first week or so of adjustment period is a little rough, but from there on out it's smooth sailing.

    • Thought bubble of inventor: "sitting is bad for you but I don't want to stand, I know if I could only lie down all day ..." I'd like a standing setup but stuck in a cubicle with desks too narrow to put anything on (and 3 monitors plus a couple days a week my laptop on the desk). But rarely if ever sit for more than an hour at a time. Between coffee, the corresponding washroom breaks, and eating 3 meals a day at work (usually coming to work after the gym so protein, then lunch in a couple hours, then snack a

  • I had this same idea 15 years ago, then I saw an article online that someone started making them and I was pissed. Since then, every 5 years or so, I see what feels like the same article, completed with the same pictures claiming "someone just invented a lie down desk"...

  • Lots of people claiming that this has been done before, or is available for cheaper. Really? Show me.

    The point of this desk is that it lets you transition seamlessly between standing, sitting, and reclining positions, with the desk and monitor properly positioned in all cases. I'm unaware of anything in the under-$5000 range that does this.

    The workstation setup I've found that's most comfortable for me is a monitor arm swinging out over a recliner, but it doesn't let me move around, and my neck is bent f

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